Metropolitan Opera Debut of Das Rheingold

Tuesday, 28 September 2010 | by Pat's Picks

First things first: this is not an opera review. I wouldn’t know where to start.

But I can tell you that the Met’s production of “Das Rheingold” is stunning. Canadian director Robert Lepage was the man behind a 45-ton video-enabled set that modernizes an otherwise traditional production of the first of Wagner’s “Ring” operas. I attended at the invitation of the Quebec government delegation, and there was much excitement when the curtain went up to reveal the set. (Long after the show I learned that there had been a malfunction in the staging for the final act, but by then the set had dazzled in so many ways it didn’t seem like a big deal.)

The Met did a great job in building up opening night buzz. I’m told Wagner intended Das Rheingold to be performed without an intermession. Too bad, because there was good people-watching at opening night and intermission would have been fun. A pre-show red carpet production was transmitted to fans gathered on the plaza at Lincoln Center and in Times Square. Thousands stayed to watch despite the rain last night.

I’m taking others at their word on the quality of the performances. New York Times reviewer Anthony Tommasini had praise for both the orchestra and the cast. And it was nice to see director James Levine at the helm. When he walked onto the stage at the end to accept the audience’s cheers, it was clear that he hasn’t fully recovered from his recent health troubles. But you wouldn’t have known it as he conducted the three-hour opera. I kept a nervous eye on him throughout the show but he, just like the show, seemed energetic throughout.